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Before you consider deploying robots in a piece-picking operations, make sure you’ve got five major areas covered. RightPick mobile robot sortation system. Source: RightHand Robotics Experts project robots will pick hundreds of millions of e-commerce items by the end of this year. Robotic piece-picking implementations continue to trend upward, whether it is because companies are finding it difficult to hire and retain sufficient warehouse resources, or they need to improve the cost-efficiency of warehouse operations . Robotics plays a key role in improving the accuracy, timeliness and predictability of moving products into, through, and out of warehouses — which is critical for forging and maintaining a strong brand reputation with retail end consumers. Although the technology is approaching plug-and-play status, it is important to think about how you will operationalize and use robots to maximize their benefits. While a robotic piece-picking deployment has several parts, here are the five key factors to focus on to guide you along the path for an educated and successful decision. #1 – Operational goals It is critical to evaluate and understand your strategic reasons for deploying robotic piece picking. Are you automating primarily for the long-term cost savings? Or are you considering changing the way you handle products at certain points in the warehouse because you do not have a large enough pool of labor to keep up as online order volume grows? Image: Berkshire Grey If robotic piece-picking proves valuable, will you use it to retrofit existing facilities, or only in new greenfield designs? Or both? Will the new automation need to integrate with multiple material-handling systems and software environments in order to maximize strategic value? If so, it is important to look at a modular option with a simple application programming interface (API) that can be used across multiple variations of […]